Bucket conveyer



- N011. 3,1931. H, M, GUMPER 1,830,603

BUCKET CONVEYER Filed Aug. s, 1927 4 sheets-sheet 1- Nov. 3, 1931. H. M. GuMPr-:R

BUCKET CONVEYER Filed Aug. 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. M. GUMPER BUCKET CONVEYER Nov. V3, 1931.

Filed Aug. 8. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 H. M. GUMPER BUCKET CONVEYER Nov. 3, 1931.

Filed Aug. 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 i I l j f I f i l VIII/WWW] Patented Nov. 3, 1931 l ze.;

."UNTE ,STATES HERMAN MfGUMrER, os JACKSON, kMICHIGAN.-lissrGNoN. "ro `THE MILES MANUNACTUR: .ING COMPANY, or JAcKsoN, MICHIGAN, A corARrNNRsHIP. f

' BUCKET .coNVnYnn y' Application sied August 8,;1927. ..sri' No. 211,540.

This invention relates to an improvement in bucket conveyers. y f

The object of the invention is to provide for the carrying of-a predetermined land measf, ured quantity of material-from afed'hopper b means of a conveyer of this character, provided With a lplurality of buckets vconnected together in an endless arrangement andto allow of the feed hopper being located, if de-` m sired, beneath the surfacev of the floor or ground. The conveyer isdesigned for use vin connection'with concrete block machines, and to transport the mixed concrete fromthe feed hopper upward and disl'iargel it into the mold if, of the block machine. Hovvever,the construction of the hopper and conveyer is such as to permit of its being used Wherever desired for transporting plasticorotherV 'loose ma'- terial, and it is not limited to its use with the fg; concrete block machine. f p

The invention resides in the constructionof the conveyer and the vfeed hopper together with a novel means of regulating the quantity ofrmaterial carried in the buckets 4and leveling oit thematerial in the top ofthe bucket, so that it only fills the bucket, not more than' that, thus eliminating any spillingof the material as it is carried upward from the feed hopper. f l

A novel form of bucket is alsoused in connection with this conveyer Whichis alsoespe-l` cially designed for plastic material and, as it passes through the feed hopper, it scoopsthe predetermined quantity of lmaterial from it, filling the bucket and, when the buckethas reached its discharge point, the material is all discharged by reasonof theconstruction ofthe bucket. l. v

In the accompanying drawings: F l is a side elevation of the invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the head-shaft and associate mechanism;

" Fig. 3 is a similar view through the drivev Fig. 4 is a sectional vievv on theline 4- 4 Fig. 5 is a transverse'sectional,view on fthe line 5-5fof FigQl; y. I j ,v Fig. 6 is a similar View on the line 646 of Fgl; f .i

Fig.y 9 is a sectional Viewl Q11 theHne-QQ Y.

buckets?- F igfll `is a ylonggitudinal"sectional View through the bucket; and f g Fig. `12 is ,a transverse 'sectional vievv through the same. I

The invention i's designed for use inl conis notlimited tor thisuse andinay' be used Wherever Vdesirable 4for transporting `plasticV is a perspective view, of one of'y the nection with concreteblock machines but'it orfother similar materials. As shovvn in Fig.

1,"the conveyer :is in an inclined position and is supported upon a suitable'frameyvorkdes# ignated generally jby the n'um'eral'fl. 'llhis framework 1 '-supp'ortsthe 'side channel-bars 2, which, in turn, support and brace'the Vfeed@` ing c onveyer. Attheir'lovver ends, the chan@ nelb'ars 2 are/connected to aside portion orv lovver' hopper '3 {o f a' feeding hopper 4', as

shoWnin Figs". land 8. -The hopper bottom members 5 are'in 'quarter section and; are bolted together andF to ltheloWe'r portion of theportion 'Sfof the hopper`4',' as shown in Fig'.v l, to permit of: thesebottom sections be',- ing removedffor cleaning andrfor cleaning out the hopper and remoying all of thereon,- tents therefrom. f 'j 'The hopper is 'supported upon abracing member 6 at its lower end, as illustrated 'in' Figi 1."A tail-shaft l7 is rotatably `mounted in bearings inthe sections 3 and 5, and pulleys 8 are"mou' nted'on the *tail-shaft 7 rforfree rotation'within the bottom ofthe hopperfli,

thesepulleys being h'eldlin theirproperrela-gi. tion with' each other ybymeans of af spacer 9, all of which is clearly shown in Fig. 7.

f The`head-shaft vl() is Ymounted insuitable bearings upon ,thev channelbar's Q and at'the' opposite ends of t-he latter from the tailshaft 7 'A sprocket Wheel 1l is ked'on. the head-'shaft 10 and is driven by a sprocket chain l2 from 'a sprocket Wheel '18 fixed fon 'a driveshaft 14, supported in suitable bearings f 15 on 'thef'mainframel .This .drive-shaft 14 panding the clutch diskand'eausinga clnteh- Y ing action between this disk and the internal surface of the clutch body 18. Set screws 21 extend through the` arms 20. on opposite sides of and in position to be engaged by' a 'elutehicie 22,1o0sely nmunted-orr the drive- Buckets-designated generallyV hyy the numeral shaft 14 and having a collar 23 thereon, @Frying-lugs 24, which areengaged bymeans of a yoke-25 pivoted as at26. and-having moutwardly extending erm127l, to. which is connected a bell crank lever 28, which 12s-connested with a rod-29a-s-.shewn in I?, leading to a clutch control lever (not shown) for operating the clnteh..` The yoke 25 1 which is pivotally supported :ts-at 2.6', isfcarried'fupen abracket t0/mounted the main frame 1.

Sprocket wheels 31 are lixediupeufthe head.- shaft 1Q, ats-,shown inY Fig, 2 in position to receive the sprocket (drains-32, whichl also' over the. pulleys 8' the tail-shaft, 7.

are secured to the linksrot thespreeket chains by. meansA et rivets er. other suitable 'fastening means 4. 34,

'Ii-he buckets-.33 are shown moreA in. detail ini-Figs.. 10,111 and 12, andit will beamed-that thebuekets aree each. formedV of a base plate 35 side plates 3- and-aback plate 35E. The buckets are. comparatively' shallow and short, although-their `dimensiensin: this respeet.l are not'. especially material. Howener',by referringto.Fig,A 1.1, it will be noted that the beek plate. .Ellis approximatellyiparallel with the front edges 38 of. theA sidep'lates andr also j that the angle between. theqbaekppklte 3.67 and the. base plate 35, isf approximately'. 1G59', whereas the anglev between. the frontP edges 38 and the base plate 35 isy approximately 15.0.. '.lhisv relationship.' between these,- parts enables the bueketste tie-placed close together upon the conveying chain', thus allowingrthem to.r discharge their' contents,- in.v anA appl-.eximately` contiimiuusstreamg or flew' from ,the bucketI con-veyer. As shown 41.2,the

' side. plates. 36 efieaeh, hue-liet. are:

outwardly atV an. an-glero'f. approximately 105':Q from the base plate 35,.thusmaking ther side and back plates, at substantially the same anglerrelative to. thsebaserplae 01E eaehl bucket', the front.V edges. of thel side. plates, at.l a complementary angle;

Skids- 39 havefthei lower ends thereof secured tol the pentium 3. oit, the feed, hoppembyf means efbolts140, and extend upwardly therefrom, as shawn 1*, to,y suppert.-

and thebuckets carried thereby in their passage upward from the tail-shaft 7 to the headshaft 10. On their return movement, the

buckets are inverted, as shown in Fig. 6, andV are supported by means of tightening rollers 41,'m0unted uponshafts-42- carried in. brackets 43 mounted en the channel-,bars 2. These tightening rollers 41 not only support the buckets 33 during their return passage but t'lieyalso servete'keep the chains 32 tightened. o

ets reach their dumping positions.A ,Anims-46 are eonn-.eeted'with the strikeoff 44: en opposite ends thereof and-have pins 47 extending outwardly therefrom, to .each ofwhich one end ofaspring 48 is ommectedi. the opposite endi of sai-d. spring, beingv connected te a, pin 4t)rv at. the. sides of. the lower hopperv 3., as

Fig. 11.- These springs exert artension upon the. strike-oli 44 holding it in. its proper positionrelative to the buekets, for

regulatingthe quantity ofimaterial conveyed A thereby..

` A feed chute 50 is pivotally supportedl as at l upon themai-n frame 1, and extendsfimto pition to receivethe, materialfromthe buckets as` they over thel sprocket, wheels ou the head-shaft 10 to convey the material fromtheliueketconveyer to any suitable. p oint desirecL` r A l plate52extends. aerossbetween. and back of the channel-barisY 2, as: shown .in 6, and substantially from the upper to thelower ends thereoffe,rmingzareturn chute for any material that, may stick., to the buckets, returning. it to the lower hopper 3,whereit.1nay again. be. piekedup hy the buckets,

In the operation of. the conve-yer7 the. rod 2.9 shifted from. the clutch.- centrol. lever to rockthe. yoke: 25 about'its pivotal: point 26 andito slidethe: @one 22hetwee1r the adjusting screws 21, which rocks the inner ends of' the arms 2O outwardly, causing a tightening of the clntcln disk.19 witliiiithe: clutch body 18 and causing arpdriving actionV of the. drivesliaft, 14. from4 thev pulleyj 16'. Through the sprocketA wheell moimted'. on the driveshaft 14 andthe sprocket chain 12, motion isimpartedfto the sprocket wheel 11. andheadshaft 10, which drives the sprocketwheel's 31 and the @hain- 32,.thus settingk the conveyer raked off level even with the tops of the buckets by the strike-off 44, and the buckets pass upwar-d from the hopper, being supported during their upward movement upon the skids 39. l

Vhile passing around the sprocket wheels 3l, the buckets 33 dump the material conveyed thereby into the chute 50, which receives it and delivers it to any desired point.

During their return movement, the buckets are supported upon the tightening rollers 4l, which also serve to tighten the chains 32 and any material which may remain in the buckets is returned to the lower hopper 3 by means of the chute formed by the plate 52, carried by the channel-bars 2. The specific form of buckets allows them to be arranged closely together on the chains 32, and to carry a full load of material, either plastic or otherwise, and thus the material will be discharged from the bucket conveyer in an approximately continuous flow 0r stream.

Thus, a new form of conveyer is devised, which is far superior to the usual form, in

which the Vbuckets are closed on all sides` except their top and dip up the material as they pass therethrough, the objection to these buckets being that they will not discharge all of the material conveyed thereby successfully, and they do not discharge the material in a substantially continuous stream or flow as is accomplished by the form of buckets used in connection with this invention. The feed is also regulated by means of the strike-Off associated with the buckets, thus preventing any spilling of the material as it is conveyed upward from the feed hopper.

I claim: y

l. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of supporting sprockets, an endless chain passing over the sprockets, a series of buckets mounted on the chain, skids extending longitudinally of the conveyer between the opposite ends thereof for receiving and supporting the chain during the outward movement of the buckets, rollers associated with the conveyer for engaging the edges of the buckets for supporting the buckets upon the return movement thereof, and a chute associated with the conveyer upon the return side thereof. v

Q. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination of a drive-shaft, a sprocket wheel mounted thereon, a tail-sh aft, a pulley mounted on the tail-shaft, a sprocket chain supported by the sprocket wheel and pulley, a series of buckets carried by the sprocket chain in close proximity to each other, a hopper associated with the conveyer, skids extending outwardly from the hopper' longitudinally of the conveyer, for receiving 'and supporting the chain during the outward movement of the buckets, a supporting framework associated with the conveyer, and idle rollers carried by said framework for receiving the edges of the buckets and supporting the bucket conveyer during the return movement thereof. c f l' y 1 3. In a conveyer of the character-described, the combination of a drive-shaft, a sprocket wheelfmounted thereon, atail-shaft, a pulley mounted on the tail-shaft, a sprocketv chain o supported the sprocket wheel andpulley,

a series of bucketscarriedby the sprocket y edges of the buckets. and supporting thel bucket conveyer during the return movement thereof, and a plate extendingv across they framework forming a return chute.

4:. In a conveyer of the character described,

the combination of a drive-shaft, a sprocket wheelmounted thereon, a tail-shaft, a pulley a:

mounted on the tail-shaft,a sprocket chain supported-by the sprocket wheel and pulley, aseries of buckets carriedby the sprocket chain in, close proximity to each other, a;

hoppery associated with theconveyer, skids l;

soy

extending outwardly from the hopper longitudinally of the conveyer, for receiving 'and supporting the chain during the outward movement of the buckets, a supporting framework associatedv with the conveyer, idle rollers carried byl said framework for receiving the edges of the buckets and supporting the bucket conveyer during the return movement thereof, and a main drive shaft operatively connected with and for driving the first-mentioned shaft.

5. The combination with a hopper, of an endless bucket 'conveyer associated therewith and extending into the hopper, a strike off plate pivotally connected with the hopper and extending into position to engage the bucket conveyer and rake off anysuperiuous material carried thereby level with the tops of the buckets, an arm connected with and extending outwardly from said strike off plate and resilient means connected with theV arm for resiliently holding the strike off Il() y" plate in proper relation against the bucket conveyer.

6. The combination with a hopper, of an endless bucket conveyer associated therewith and extending into the hopper, the open Vtop of the bucket conveyer being approximately parallel with the direction of travel of the conveyer, a strike-off plate extending' atan angle thereto for raking ofl' superfluous ma- Y terial, and means for pivotally supporting said strike-off plate adjacent the hopper.

7. The combination with a hopper, of an endless bucket conveyer associated therewith end extending into: the hoppen the; open. top of.' tlebucket-r conveyel'being; approximately parallel'. with` the direction; ofi. travel; of the Conveyer, a strike-off plate extendingfat'an angle thereto fon raking'of superfluous InaterLaL-means for -pivotally supporting said strilel-o plate :adjacent the hopper, ani arm extending: outwardly' from the Vstrike-off plate,` an'df resilient means'eonneeted with said f arm for. resiliently; holding the' strike-o5 platev in: propeu relation v against! the bucket e oonveyer; Y 8: Tlieconbinetion of u: lnainhopper, a lower hopper extending laterally' therefrom. l5 and conimunicatingwith' seid.' mein hopper,Y qusnteriseoti'onul platesv connected with and -'orlning the' bottomi of the lower-'hopper,VV an endless Aconveyor extending,- into seid" lower hopper and; the quarter sectional? plates: for receiving material theretroiny andi from the muin-loppergund @bearing-:for the conveyer mounted at' the junotulfevo the' sectional plates;

9:. ML endlessconveyer comprising a seriesrof buckets, eaclrof' which lm-s` a flirt bottom throughout und? extends approximately parallel with the direction of travel ofi the' bulets# and? having beck and sides extending at obtuse anglesto said bottom, :30 szudfbueketlnwng un open und' unobstructed toplundlfront, the sides of euch bucket being infnlionnentfwitlr the'sides of tle next suoneeding;'bu'eketsf and terminating shortV of contaetltlerewith; 2 ln testimony Wllereof'' alix my signature.

HERMAN'KM. GUMPER. 

